108 - Why (did I stay in) Reunion?

Posted by anglaisre on August 11, 2016

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In a
previous podcast I answered the
question that so many people ask us native
English speakers: ‘Why did you come
to Reunion?’ For this week’s episode I’m going to answer a question which
for me is much more important: ‘Why did
you stay?’

Answering
this is quite emotional, for I realize
that, after sixteen years on the island, the reasons for staying have shaped my entire life. I would say
there are two groups, the first being a list of quite specific points in no
particular order:

The food,
the beaches, snorkelling at Boucan,
the outdoor lifestyle, the
impossible blue of a cloudless Reunionese sky and the fact one can spend 10
months of the year wearing just a pair of shorts. Not at work, of course. What
else? The amazing people who have become my friends and the hardworking colleagues and clients with
whom I’ve had the pleasure to work, and the warm and open population.

The second
group of reasons is more general – here’s my top three in ascending order:

Number 3)
People born in Reunion grow up with this stunning
surrounding scenery, but I often feel it’s important to point out just how
phenomenal, outstanding and singular
the geographical relief of the island really is. Looking out across Mafate from
Le Maido, the volcano from Oratoire St Therese or Cilaos from Le Piton des
Neiges are privileged moments which make me feel at one with nature and truly alive. These are feelings that I have
rarely had in England or Mainland France.

Number 2)
Much like the landscape, some fail
to realize just how unique it is that a place in the world exists where people
of all races and religions live together, not only peacefully but also with mutual respect. This makes Reunion a
fantastic place for children to grow up,
and the fact that my children, two little ‘Portoises’,
have had this opportunity will help to make them tolerant and accepting human beings.

And number
1) I guess that big cities where I have lived such as London, Paris and
Valparaiso (in Chile) seem so impressive
and awesome at first, but this
doesn’t mean that choosing to live in Reunion is an easy alternative. As they
say, size is not important – big cities soon lose their attraction and the awe turns to boredom. People have asked me if I feel claustrophobic on a small
island. In reply, I ask ‘how far away is your
horizon? Can you see past the next building?’ I’ve been either hiking or mountain-running at least once
a month for all these years, and there are still loads of footpaths left for me to discover…

Which I
guess brings me to my conclusion: living on Reunion is a constant adventure,
and isn’t that exactly what we all wish
from life?